E3 Wiki Guide

Microsoft at E3 2002

Game time for Microsoft. After roaring out of the gate with powerful hardware, E3 2002 was Microsoft’s chance to capture the hearts of consumer through showcasing its emerging library of first and third party software.

The library of upcoming games was an eclectic blend of titles. Konami supported the XBox with a comprehensive remake of smash hit Metal Gear Solid 2. Sega contributed a beautiful iteration on Panzer Dragoon, and a little game called Psychonauts captured the hearts of the press with its wonderful humor and storytelling. The bizarre Steel Battalion controller had everyone talking. And Peter Molyneaux was teasing a new kind of game blending adventure and widespread interactivity in a world with consequences, a venture codenamed Project Ego.

Just as importantly, 2002 marked the inauspicious announcement of XBox Live, an online community and download service for 360. While the original XBox Live was limited by contemporary standards, it represented the first serious effort by a company to create a comprehensive online gaming community on consoles. XBL would eventually allow for in-game communication, rapid acquisition of demos, online shopping, digital downloads, DLC patches, trailers, community building, and paved the way for streaming services and the connected benefits we expect from consoles today.